POINT OF ORDER | Efforts of Madlanga commission already bearing fruit

Though the Madlanga commission’s final report and recommendations are still in the making and have not yet qualified to go before the president and the nation later in the year, the commission’s hearings are already reshaping citizens’ zero-tolerance attitude towards corruption. Several witnesses have presented chilling evidence supporting KwaZulu-Natal police commissionerLieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s allegations of criminality, political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system, leading to suspensions, resignations and arrests of implicated persons. The commission’s interim findings and recommendations submitted to President Cyril Ramaphosa so far called for the investigation and prosecution of Major-General Lesetja Senona, alongside Major-General Richard Shibiri, Brigadier Mbangwa Nkhwashu, Brigadier Rachel Matjeng and Sergeant Fannie Nkosi for serious wrongdoing.

Parallel to internal investigation, some of these names are among 12 senior police officers arrested along withVusimusi “Cat” Matlalaand face charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering. The 12 arrested officers are: Captain Brian Neville, Brigadier Rachel Matjeng, Brigadier Alpheus Ngema, Brigadier Patrick Nethengwe, Tumisho Maleka (procurement officer), Major-General Busisiwe Temba, Brigadier Kirsty Jonker, Brigadier Petunia Lenono, Brigadier Onica Tlhoale, Colonel Nonjabulo Mngadi, Colonel Anton Paulsen and Colonel Natsenge Monyai. The case against them centres on Matlala scooping a three-year tender to provide health and risk screening to 180,000 police employees through his company, Medicare24 Tshwane District, in June 2024.

This was despite him having been identified as a central figure in the Tembisa Hospital looting believed to have cost the Gauteng health department’s Babita Deokaran her life. The SAPS eventually cancelled the tender and launched a probe by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption. According to the charge sheet, the tender was riddled with issues — from not being advertised for the required 21 days, to officers Matlala knew allegedly assisting him with his submission and even sitting on the bid evaluation committee (BEC).

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Whether or not citizens ever approve of the anti-corruption measures taken by Ramaphosa so far is uncertain Moreover, national police commissioner Fannie Masemola received a notice to appear in court on April 21 to face criminal charges over the same Matlala’s tainted R360m health services tender. As accounting officer he was bound by law to take “effective and appropriate steps to prevent unauthorised, irregular and fruitless and wasteful expenditure and losses” from criminal conduct.

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